You can sponsor this page

Synodontis zambezensis Peters, 1852

Plain squeaker
Upload your photos and videos
Pictures | Google image
Image of Synodontis zambezensis (Plain squeaker)
Synodontis zambezensis
Picture by Seegers, L.


Zambia country information

Common names: Brown squeaker
Occurrence: native
Salinity: freshwater
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: commercial | Ref: Losse, G.F., 1998
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: live export: yes;
Comments: A species of primary economic importance in Lake Kariba (Ref. 27602). Also reported from the Luangwe (Lake Moero system, upper Congo River basin) (Ref. 58032).
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/za.html
National Fisheries Authority:
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Balon, E.K., 1974
National Database:

Common names from other countries

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Teleostei (teleosts) > Siluriformes (Catfishes) > Mochokidae (Squeakers or upside-down catfishes) > Mochokinae
Etymology: Synodontis: Greek, syn, symphysis = grown together + Greek, odous = teeth (Ref. 45335).
  More on author: Peters.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Freshwater; benthopelagic.   Tropical; 13°S - 27°S

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Africa: middle and lower Zambezi south to the Pongolo system (Ref. 7248, 52193). Absent from upper Save-Runde system (Ref. 7248, 52193). Also reported from the Luangwe (upper Congo River basin) (Ref. 58032, 82238). Reports from the Angolan Congo basin (Ref. 11970) refer to Synodontis macropuncatus (Ref. 75786).

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm 15.0  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 43.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 52193); max. published weight: 820.00 g (Ref. 52193)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 11 - 16.

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

The spines are said to be poisonous (Ref. 4537). Found in pools and slow flowing reaches of perennial and seasonal rivers; prefers riverine habitats to floodplains; shelters in holes or crevices or on the underside of logs, frequently in an upside-down position (Ref. 52193). Active at night, feeds on detritus and plant matter such as seeds as well as small invertebrates like insects and snails, and will scavenge readily (Ref. 52193). Breeds in summer during rainy periods (Ref. 7248, 52193). Oviparous (Ref. 205).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae

Oviparous (Ref. 205). Distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Gosse, J.-P., 1986. Mochokidae. p. 105-152. In J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (eds.) Check-list of the freshwater fishes of Africa (CLOFFA). ISNB, Brussels, MRAC, Tervuren; and ORSTOM, Paris. Vol. 2. (Ref. 3202)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

  Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 02 October 2017

CITES (Ref. 128078)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Venomous (Ref. 4537)




Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes
FAO(Publication : search) | FishSource |

More information

Trophic ecology
Food items
Diet compositions
Food consumptions
Food rations
Predators
Ecology
Ecology
Home ranges
Population dynamics
Growths
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversions
Recruitments
Abundances
Life cycle
Reproduction
Maturities
Fecundities
Spawnings
Spawning aggregations
Egg(s)
Egg developments
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Distribution
Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
BRUVS - Videos
Anatomy
Gill areas
Brains
Otoliths
Physiology
Body compositions
Nutrients
Oxygen consumptions
Swimming type
Swimming speeds
Visual pigment(s)
Fish sounds
Diseases / Parasites
Toxicities (LC50s)
Genetics
Genetics
Electrophoreses
Heritabilities
Human related
Aquaculture systems
Aquaculture profiles
Strains
Ciguatera cases
Stamps, coins, misc.
Outreach
Collaborators
References
References

Tools

Special reports

Download XML

Internet sources

Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | DiscoverLife | ECOTOX | Faunafri | Fishtrace | GenBank(genome, nucleotide) | GloBI | GOBASE | | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | MitoFish | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | Scirus | SeaLifeBase | Tree of Life | Wikipedia(Go, Search) | World Records Freshwater Fishing | Zoobank | Zoological Record

Estimates based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804):  PD50 = 0.5000   [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01047 (0.00491 - 0.02235), b=2.99 (2.80 - 3.18), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species & Genus-body shape (Ref. 93245).
Trophic level (Ref. 69278):  2.7   ±0.34 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref. 120179):  Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153):  Moderate vulnerability (41 of 100).
Price category (Ref. 80766):   Unknown.